Page 3 of Bull's Boy

Throwing one more glare at the dick, he grunted in agreement and got to work. Despite rarely working back in the bar area, Malcolm quickly showed he had more skills than Bull, throwing together drinks quickly and efficiently while smiling and chatting with folks. The part that surprised him the most, though, was that they worked effortlesslytogether. Without seeming to even realize it, Malcolm would instinctively move out of Bull’s way as he worked on replenishing the ice and taking loads of glasses into the kitchen to run through the dishwasher.

The one time they bumped into each other, it was Bull’s fault. He’d realized he’d forgotten to grab a knife to slice up more fruit and turned around abruptly, intent on running back into the kitchen, and collided with Malcolm instead.

“Ope!” Malcolm laughed, glancing up and smiling at Bull while still pressed all down his front. “You zigged instead of zagged.”

His tongue felt three times too big for his mouth as he tried not to react to feeling Malcolm’s heat against him. He only came up to Bull’s pecs, and he couldn’t help but picture Malcolm’s sweet, angular face relaxed, eyes closed, as he sucked on Bull’s?—

Stepping back, he said gruffly, “Sorry. Forgot something.”

Malcolm waved him off and moved around him like it was nothing and not like Bull’s cock was half-hard in his pants.

Thank fuck he hadn’t realized Bull’s cock was half-hard in his pants.

About an hour before closing, things had slowed down enough that he felt okay leaving Malcolm for a few minutes, sneaking out of the bar and down the hallway to his mom’s tiny office. He didn’t knock before entering, just slipped inside and loweredhimself onto the smallest couch in the world, tucked against the wall.

“Hey, you.”

He grunted a hello to his mom, Sally, not bothering to open his eyes as he concentrated on taking a few deep breaths, head leaning back against the wall behind him. He needed to get his shit together before he got sued for sexual harassment or something.

“You okay, baby?” his mom finally asked when he didn’t say anything. “I was going to come check on you guys when I finally finished sorting out this payroll mess, but when I didn’t hear from you again, I assumed you and Malcolm were fine.”

“We are. I just… needed a second.” To get his body under control, but he wasn’t about to tell his mom that.

She hummed in response and clicked her mouse a few times, then stood and came around her desk to perch on the arm of the couch, her feet on the seat next to him. “You still lusting after that boy?”

“Mom…” He groaned, rubbing at his face.

She just snickered, enjoying embarrassing him. “Why don’t you just ask him out? I heard him tell Dahlia that the woman he was dating started haunting him about a week ago.”

He cocked his head, trying to decipher what the hell she was talking about. “Do you mean he got ghosted?”

“I don’t know what you kids call it these days.”

Bull hadn’t even known Malcolm had been seeing someone. And even though the idea of him being happy with someone elsemade his chest tight, knowing how much it had to have hurt him to be left hangingagainmade him want to put his fist through a wall.

What was his fucking deal?

“He’s not gay.” When his mom opened her mouth, he quickly added, “Or bi or anything else other than straight.”

She rolled her eyes and poked his thigh with her sock-covered toes. “Says you.”

“No, says him,” Bull said firmly, refusing to even let the idea of Malcolm being anything less than one hundred percent straight enter his brain. “Dahlia asked him like two weeks after he started here if he was queer.”

“I didn’t know I was until your mother,” his mom pointed out. “What could it hurt to ask him?”

“A lot. For one thing, he could quit because it made him uncomfortable. Or sue us for sexual harassment. Or just make things really awkward?—”

“Oh my god, okay.” She threw her hands up in defeat. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think he’d do any of those things. He’s a sweet, kindhearted young man.”

Bull knew he was, but he wouldn’t risk making Malcolm feel uncomfortable in a place where he should feel safe. His mom had always made a point to hire inclusively and make sure people felt like they could be themselves while there—whether as an employee or a customer. Bull wouldn’t take that from Malcolm.

“How your mom and I raised two men afraid of taking any risks is beyond me,” his mom muttered as she stood and moved back to her desk.

He rolled his eyes. “Marv is a member of a motorcycle club. I don’t think he’s that risk averse.”

“He wears a tie to work every day,” she countered, shuddering. Plopping back down into her chair, she shook her head in mock disapproval.

Bull snorted. It was true. Marv was an accountant and a bit of a clothes snob, liking to dress to impress even for his regular day-to-day work. Bull had even seen him in a vest and bow tie recently—he’d made sure to tell Mom immediately so she could be properly horrified and tease him.

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